U.S. patent application number 12/605862 was filed with the patent office on 2011-04-28 for cushion structure and construction.
Invention is credited to Surendra S. Khambete.
Application Number | 20110094038 12/605862 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43897125 |
Filed Date | 2011-04-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110094038 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Khambete; Surendra S. |
April 28, 2011 |
CUSHION STRUCTURE AND CONSTRUCTION
Abstract
A cushion assembly includes a cover having a perimeter panel
providing a perimeter height. Spaced apart cover panels extend
between the perimeter panels. The perimeter and cover panels
together provide a cushion cavity. A cushion includes randomly
oriented fibers bonded to one another to provide a core of a batt
that has opposing surfaces. In one disclosed example, the fibers
are polyester and include an average length randomly oriented in
three dimensions. The core has a thickness that is greater than the
average length to accommodate the average length in all three
dimensions. The batt includes manufactured, tufted and desired
design heights. A tuft extends through the cushion to the opposing
surfaces to maintain the cushion in the tufted height, which is
less than the manufactured height. The cushion is provided with the
desired design height with the tufted cushion arranged within the
cushion cavity, the desired design height less than the
manufactured height and more than the tufted height.
Inventors: |
Khambete; Surendra S.; (West
Bloomfield, MI) |
Family ID: |
43897125 |
Appl. No.: |
12/605862 |
Filed: |
October 26, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/655.6 ;
29/91.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 16/00 20130101;
B68G 11/03 20130101; Y10T 29/481 20150115; B68G 7/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
5/655.6 ;
29/91.1 |
International
Class: |
A47C 7/02 20060101
A47C007/02; A47C 7/62 20060101 A47C007/62; B68G 7/00 20060101
B68G007/00 |
Claims
1. A cushion assembly comprising: a cover having a perimeter panel
providing a perimeter height and spaced apart cover panels
extending between the perimeter panels, the perimeter and cover
panels providing a cushion cavity; and a cushion including randomly
oriented fibers bonded to one another to provide a batt having
opposing surfaces, the batt having manufactured, tufted and desired
design heights, and a tuft extending through the cushion to the
opposing surfaces maintaining the cushion in the tufted height,
which is less than the manufactured height, the desired design
height is provided with the tufted cushion arranged within the
cushion cavity, the desired design height less than the
manufactured height and greater than the tufted height and
perimeter height.
2. The cushion assembly according to claim 1, wherein desired
design height is variable, the cover panels are crowned to provide
an apex at a generally central location that has a greater height
than that of the desired design height between the cover panels
immediately surrounding the apex.
3. The cushion assembly according to claim 2, wherein the desired
design height at the apex is at least approximately 120% the
perimeter height.
4. The cushion assembly according to claim 1, wherein the tuft is
contained within the cover without being provided on an outer
surface of the cover, the tuft not visible through the cover with
the cushion assembly exposed.
5. The cushion assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fibers
are polyester and include an average length are randomly oriented
in three dimensions, the batt having a thickness that is greater
than the average length to accommodate the average length in all
three dimensions.
6. The cushion assembly according to claim 5, wherein the batt
includes a core constructed from the three dimensionally randomly
oriented fibers, and a topper layer on each of opposite sides of
the core, the topper layers providing the opposing surfaces.
7. The cushion assembly according to claim 6, wherein the core
provides at least 50-75% of the manufactured height.
8. The cushion assembly according to claim 6, wherein a wrap
substantially surrounds the batt and is arranged between the batt
and the cover.
9. The cushion assembly according to claim 1, wherein the tufted
height is at least less than approximately 95% of the manufactured
height.
10. The cushion assembly according to claim 9, wherein the batt
includes a first density at the manufactured height and a second
density at the tufted height, the second density being at least
110% of the first density.
11. The cushion assembly according to claim 10, wherein the
perimeter height is approximately 90%-98% of the tufted height.
12. A tunable fiber cushion comprising: a batt of randomly oriented
first polyester fibers interlinked with a first binder material,
the batt having a non-layered core with a first manufactured height
defined by opposing surfaces and including a first density, wherein
the first density is 0.8-3.0 pcf; at least one topper layer of
randomly oriented second polyester fibers interlinked with a second
binder material, a topper layer including a second manufactured
height of a second density, the topper layer arranged on a side
adjacent to one opposing surface, wherein the second density is
0.6-2.0 pcf; a tuft extending through the batt and the topper layer
to provide a tufted cushion assembly having a tufted height and a
third density at the tufted height that is greater than the first
density or the second density, wherein the third density is 1.0-3.0
pcf; and wherein the tufted cushion assembly at the tufted height
provides a support factor of less than or equal to 3 with an ILD
determined using a 4 inch batt sample of the batt at the tufted
height.
13. The tunable fiber cushion according to claim 12, wherein the
fibers are polyester and include an average length are randomly
oriented in three dimensions, the batt having a thickness that is
greater than the average length to accommodate the average length
in all three dimensions.
14. The tunable fiber cushion according to claim 12, wherein the
batt includes a core constructed from the three dimensionally
randomly oriented fibers, and a topper layer on each of opposite
sides of the core, the topper layers provided on the opposing
surfaces, and the core provides at least 50-75% of a sum of the
first and second manufactured height.
15. The tunable fiber cushion according to claim 12, wherein the
tufted height is at least less than approximately 90% of a sum of
the first and second manufactured height, and the third density is
at least 110% of the first density.
16. The tunable fiber cushion according to claim 12, comprising
multiple tufts having a length generally corresponding to the
tufted height and provided by a body having opposing heads, the
heads abutting opposing surfaces of the cushion to retain the
cushion at the tufted height.
17. A method of manufacturing a cushion assembly comprising:
manufacturing a cushion constructed from randomly oriented
polyester fibers interlinked with one another to provide a first
density at a first height; and tufting the cushion to produce a
second density greater than the first density, and a second height
less than the first height.
18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the cushion includes
a cushion core, and wherein the manufacturing step includes
randomly orienting the fibers of an average length in three
dimensions to provide the cushion core, the cushion core having a
thickness that is greater than the average length to accommodate
the average length in all three dimensions.
19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the tufting step
includes inserting a tuft through the cushion, the tuft having a
length generally corresponding to the second height and provided by
a body having opposing heads, the heads abutting opposing surfaces
of the cushion to retain the cushion at the second height.
20. The method according to claim 17, comprising the step of
inserting the tufted cushion into a cavity of a cover to provide a
stuffed cushion compressed to desired design height less than the
second height, the stuffed cushion having a finished density
different than the second density.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] This disclosure relates to a cushion structure, assembly and
its construction for comfort applications, including seating and
bedding utilizing polyester fiber as one filler material.
[0002] A typical cushion assembly used in seating applications
includes an aesthetic cover surrounding a soft and resilient filler
material such as polyurethane foam, springs and the like. Most
cushions are constructed with material which provides a desired
support and comfort to the user. Polyester fiber toppers are
sometimes used on top and side of the cushion assembly on which a
user may sit to provide a better "hand," which is a desired feel.
An additional wrap is occasionally used to provide a desired
function such as to provide improved resistance against
flammability. The wrapped and/or padded core structure, usually
made up of polyurethane foam is inserted into an aesthetic cover.
The foam core is generally the same dimensions as the cover or very
slightly larger than the cover.
[0003] The feel of foam cushions is very customizable. This is done
by changing the foam chemistry for a given density. One measurement
of "feel" for a cushion is the Indentation Load Deflection, ILD,
which is determined using industry guidelines. The ILD is the
amount of pounds (measured as resistant force) required to compress
a 4 inch thick, 15 inch.times.15 inch sample to 3 inches (or 25% of
original height). For example, a typical 4 inch tall polyurethane
foam cushion having a density (in pounds per cubic foot, or "pcf")
of 1.0 pcf has an ILD of 30. In addition due to processing and
chemistry changes this is tunable within a range of 10-40 ILD; a
density of 1.2 pcf is tunable to 20-50 ILD; and so on.
[0004] A given foam cushion must also exhibit an acceptable comfort
or "support factor," typically in the range of 1.7-3.0. The support
factor calculated by dividing the force required to compress a 4''
sample to 65% of its height by the force required to compress to
25% of its height; i.e. comfort factor=(ILD @ 65%)/(ILD @ 25%) In
addition to comfort, a standard foam cushion must survive industry
durability tests over several thousand cycles during which the foam
cushion must substantially maintain its height and shape while
maintaining the support factor. Polyurethane foam cushions are
highly tunable in that a foam material can be easily selected to
provide a desired density, ILD and support factor, which in turn
provides the durability for a given application. For polyester
fiber cushions, the ILD is very closely tied to the density and
such fiber cushions are not easily tuned to provide both comfort
and durability. To provide better durability fiber cushions must be
made very dense but that is generally not acceptable as comfortable
for the end user.
[0005] Foam is generally very resilient and tunable but the
chemistry is such that in its native state it is very highly
flammable, further the process of making foam is considered harmful
to the environment. Several attempts to replace foam with polyester
fiber have resulted in different formed, thermo-bonded or loose
fiber constructions, but none have been able to achieve desired
comfort and performance sufficient for broad commercial viability
due to the difficulty in tuning. Loose fibers or thermo-bonded
fibers are sometimes used in outdoor cushion applications to
provide improved long-term resiliency over foam. The fibers are
loosely arranged relative to one another in an unconnected fashion,
permitting the fibers to shift uninhibited within the cover. Such
outdoor cushions are not very durable and as such not suitable for
conventional seating and bedding applications.
[0006] Tufting has been used to secure multiple layers to one
another or provide an aesthetically pleasing exterior cover. Often,
the tufts are visible through the cover. For example, tufting is
used in futons to secure the multiple layers to one another and the
exterior cover. The exterior cover is arranged rather loosely about
the layers.
SUMMARY
[0007] A cushion assembly includes an aesthetic cover having a
perimeter panel providing a perimeter height. Spaced apart cover
panels extend between the perimeter panels. The perimeter and cover
panels together provide a cushion cavity. A cushion includes
randomly oriented fibers bonded to one another to provide a core of
a batt that has opposing surfaces. In one disclosed example, the
fibers are polyester and include an average length randomly
oriented in three dimensions. The core has a thickness that is
greater than the average length to accommodate the average length
in all three dimensions.
[0008] The batt includes manufactured, tufted and desired design
heights. A tuft extends through the cushion to the opposing
surfaces to maintain the cushion in the tufted height, which is
less than the manufactured height. The cushion is provided at the
desired design height with the tufted cushion arranged within the
cushion cavity. The tufted height is generally less than the
desired design height.
[0009] These and other features of the disclosure can be best
understood from the following specification and drawings, the
following of which is a brief description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example cushion
assembly.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a prior art foam cushion
at a manufactured height.
[0012] FIG. 3A is a side elevational view of a randomly oriented
fiber cushion having a manufactured height for the same cushion
application as the foam cushion illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0013] FIG. 3B is a schematic view of the randomly oriented fibers
interlinked to one another with binder material.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the fiber cushion
illustrated in FIG. 3A that has been tufted.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a cushion having topper
layers.
[0016] FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of an example tuft.
[0017] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the cushion illustrated
in FIG. 5 with a wrap and inserted into a cover.
[0018] FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of a cushion assembly
according to the disclosure compared to a cushion assembly using
the foam illustrated in FIG. 2 for the same cushion
application.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] A cushion assembly 10 is schematically illustrated in FIG.
1. The cushion assembly 10 includes a cover 11 having a perimeter
panel 12 joined to opposing cover panels 14 at edge 20. Typically,
the perimeter and cover panels 12, 14 are sewed to one another at
the adjoining edges 20 using a welting. A closure 18, such as a
zipper, edge tape or hook-and-loop fastener, is provided at a seam
16 to permit insertion of a cushion into a cavity provided within
the cover 11.
[0020] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a typical foam cushion 22
having a width 30 and a design height 24. The design height 24
generally corresponds to the height of the perimeter panel 12 for
the cover into which the foam cushion 22 will be inserted. The foam
cushion 22 is generally the same dimensions as the cover into which
it is inserted or very slightly larger than the cover. For example,
a 4 inch, 1.4 pcf density foam cushion may be manufactured for a 4
inch finished cushion assembly height. As a result, the finished
cushion assembly is virtually the identical shape and size, and
perhaps slightly larger, as the manufactured dimensions of the foam
cushion 22.
[0021] A manufactured fiber cushion 26 is illustrated in FIG. 3A.
The manufactured fiber cushion 26 is constructed from a single
layer of randomly oriented polyester staple fibers interlinked to
one another using a binder material, which is elastomeric in one
example. In one example, the staple fiber and binder material are
the same. The manufactured fiber cushion 26 includes a manufactured
height 28 that is greater than a desired design finished height of
the cushion 24. For example, if a finished height of 4 inches is
desired, the manufactured fiber cushion 26 may be manufactured with
1.0 pcf of polyester fibers at a 5.6 inch height. The binder
material is heated to a melting temperature to secure the staple
fibers to one another once the melted binder material has
solidified and produce a non-layered core batt. The core is
compressed during its manufacture to provide a desired density,
which is also affected by the staple and binder materials selected.
The interlinked randomly oriented staple fibers 58 are shown
schematically in more detail in FIG. 3B.
[0022] The staple fibers 52 include a fiber length 56 that is
distributed in all three dimensions (x, y, z). In one example, the
average fiber length 56 is approximately 2.5 inch. The manufactured
height 28 is greater than the fiber length 56, which enables the
fibers to be randomly distributed to the full extent of their fiber
length in all three directions. This is contrasted with typical
randomly oriented fiber manufacturing processes, such as cross
lapping or air-laying, that orient the fibers in only two
directions to form a relatively thin layer substantially less than
the length of its staple fibers. Numerous cross lapped or air-layed
layers are bonded in some fashion to one another to form a
multi-layered fiber batt consisting of very thin layers. Fiber
batts produced using an air-lay process do not make suitable
cushions because they lose height over time to an unacceptable
degree. The fiber batt formed according to this disclosure is
typically an inch or greater in height, as opposed to the thin
layers produced in air-lay processes, which are only fractions of
an inch thick.
[0023] Referring to FIG. 4, the manufactured fiber cushion 26 is
reduced from the manufactured height 28 to a tufted height 31 using
one or more tufts 33, which may be rubber-like, for example. The
tufts 33 include a body 37 extending between opposing heads 35, as
illustrated in FIG. 6. The tuft 33 extends through the tufted
cushion 36 to opposing surfaces 32. The width 30 of the tufted
cushion 36 is generally the same as the width of the manufactured
fiber cushion 26. Other tufting configurations can be used. For
example, a lace and felt arrangement can be used, or a button and
lace arrangement can be employed. Various tufting configurations
can be used separately or in combination with one another for a
given cushion assembly. The tuft 33 is not visible through the
cover 11 with the cushion assembly 10 exposed and not otherwise in
use. Thus, the presence of the tuft 33 is not apparent to an
observer, which provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
[0024] The manufactured fiber cushion 26 includes a first density
that is considerably less than the desired finished density of the
cushion once placed within the cover. The cushion height is reduced
from the manufactured height 28 to the tufted height 31, at least
5%, and in one example at least 10%, which increases the density
from the manufactured fiber cushion 26 to the tufted cushion 36 at
least 10%. In one example, if the desired finished height of the
cushion within the cover is approximately 4 inches, the
manufactured height 28 may be 5.6 inches, which when tufted and
stuffed into a 4 inch high cover assembly 10 provides the comfort
and resiliency of 1.4 pcf cushion that could not otherwise be
provided by a 1.4 pcf cushion manufactured at a 4 inch height.
Thus, the cushion will be reduced in height approximately 28%. In
one example, the density is increased 40%. The example density of
the manufactured fiber cushion 26 is 1.0 pcf for the 5.6 inch
manufactured height.
[0025] An example tufted cushion 136 is illustrated in FIG. 5. The
tufted cushion 136 includes a core 38 and topper layers 40 arranged
on either side of the core 38 that are tufted together as an
assembly. In one example, both the core 38 and the topper layers 40
are manufactured of three dimensionally randomly oriented polyester
fiber interlinked with one another as described above. The tufts
extend through the core 38 and the topper layers 40. Other methods
of attaching the core 38 and topper layers 40 can be used such as
adhesive. The topper layers 40 may be constructed separately from
the core 38, for example. Each topper layer is compressed during
its manufacture to provide a desired density, which is also
affected by the staple and binder materials selected. The topper
layers 40 are of a lower density and different fiber blend than the
core 38 to provide a desired hand and performance.
[0026] Referring to FIG. 7, the tufted cushion assembly 136 can be
enclosed in a wrap 50, which provides functions like desired
flammability properties and/or hand, for example. The wrap 50 is
arranged around the exterior surfaces of the tufted cushion 36,
including the tufts 33 and provides an actual height 48 of the
tufted cushion assembly 136. A perimeter height 42 is defined by
the height of the perimeter panel 12. The perimeter height 42 is
approximately 90-98% of the actual or desired design height 24. The
cover panels 14 provide a desired design height 44 (which should be
very close to 24 and is determined by the cushion designer) and
includes a crown or apex 46. The cover gradually increases to a
location central to the cover 11 to provide the apex. The desired
design height 44 is greater than the perimeter height 42, and in
one example at least approximately 120% of the perimeter height 42
at the apex 46. The cushion assembly 10 has a crowned surface or
apex 46, whereas a cushion assembly using a foam cushion has a
generally flat or a nominal crown surface 60, illustrated in FIG.
8.
[0027] The disclosed cushion assembly and batt having randomly
oriented staple fibers interlinked to one another using a binder
material is constructed with the following specifications:
Core:
[0028] density at manufactured height: 0.8-3.0 pcf, in one example.
approximately 1.0 pcf
[0029] manufactured thickness of 1.0-6.0 inch
[0030] 20-90 ILD
Topper:
[0031] density at manufactured height: 0.6-2.0 pcf
[0032] manufactured thickness of 0.5-4.0 inch
[0033] 10-55 ILD
Cushion Assembly (Core and at Least One Topper Layer):
[0034] density at desired design height, tufted: 1.0-3.0 pcf, in
one example, approximately 1.4 pcf
[0035] support factor: .ltoreq.3, with the ILD determined using a 4
inch batt at installed height, tufted
[0036] The performance of the batt can be increased by using more
binder and a higher denier fiber. Decreasing the amount of binder
and using lower denier fiber decreases performance and cost. The
binder and staple fibers for each layer are selected to obtain the
desired ILD for each layer in order to "tune" the overall cushion
assembly. In one example, a tunable fiber cushion includes a batt
of randomly oriented first polyester fibers interlinked with a
first binder material. The batt has a non-layered core with a first
manufactured height defined by opposing surfaces and that includes
a first density. The first density is 0.8-3.0 pcf. At least one
topper layer of randomly oriented second polyester fibers is
interlinked with a second binder material. A topper layer includes
a second manufactured height of a second density. The topper layer
is arranged on a side adjacent to one opposing surface. The second
density is 0.6-1.4 pcf. A tuft extends through the batt and the
topper layer to provide a tufted cushion assembly having a tufted
height and a third density at the tufted height that is greater
than the first density or the second density. The third density is
1.0-3.0 pcf. The tufted cushion assembly at the tufted height
provides a support factor of less than or equal to 3 with an ILD
and is determined using a 4 inch batt sample of the batt at the
tufted height.
[0037] Although example embodiments have been disclosed, a worker
of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain
modifications would come within the scope of the claims. For that
reason, the following claims should be studied to determine their
true scope and content.
* * * * *